If you cut off a sweater’s snagged threads, you’ll have an unraveling hole.
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Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have a cardigan sweater that has sustained several substantial “pulls” and I’m not sure what to do. I was sitting at a desk with a rough edge and didn’t notice what was happening until it was too late. I hesitate to just cut them off and the type of weave doesn’t lend itself to easily pulling the threads to the back. Suggestions?
— Linda H.
Dear Linda: You are so right NOT to cut off those snagged threads. If you do, you’ll have an unraveling hole that wrecks your sweater. There are a couple tools and methods to solve your problem. I’ve used Dritz Knit Picker (amazon.com, $6.64) for larger-knit fabrics. Dritz Snag Dab-it (amazon.com, $5.85) is good for tightly knit fabrics (joann.com, $3.29; amazon.com, $5.85). A straight pin, a bobby pin or a needle-and-thread hack also can do the job in many cases, depending on the fabric weave. All these techniques are not difficult, even if sewing is not for you. YouTube will help you. If I can do this, anyone can! (I’ve even used a paper clip on a really loose knit sweater.)
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I wear a wide width and have had no luck with ordering shoes online and have to send them back because they may be too wide, too big or not a good fit. Since there are no shoe stores, as in the past, where can good-fitting shoes be found, without the capability of trying them on before purchasing? All the shoes I love, especially those for the fall/winter season have open toes. Why do shoe designers put open toes in boots? Seems to defeat the purpose of a cold weather shoe.
— Dina B.
Dear Dina: Let’s take the easier question first: Open-toe boots make no sense. But, for reasons I don’t understand, some women like to wear them, presumably in warm weather. As for your wide shoe issues, if you don’t have access to shoe stores (not even mall shops like DSW or Nordstrom, which prides itself on a selection of unpopular sizes), I’m afraid you’re stuck with the lousy option of online shopping. Hope you’re only using sites (like zappos.com) that offer free returns. If it’s any comfort, I had to return two pairs of the same shoes that I bought online because of crazy sizing. But the third one — not even close to my normal size — worked out just fine.
Angelic Readers 1
From Anna R.: “In relation to your reader’s question about non-irritating, easy-to-remove mascara, when Clinique Glossy Black Mascara was discontinued, I found Jolie Cosmetics Sensitive Eyes Mascara Hypoallergenic Extremely Gentle with no fragrance and suitable for contact lens wearers (amazon.com, $20). I had tried everything and none would come off, even with their own branded remover. But this one by Jolie comes off easily but has staying power and did not give me any irritation.”
Angelic Readers 2
Marge M. sets me straight: “The women you described in a recent column wearing the identical leopard dresses is definitely a thing. It is called ‘twinning.’ Where I live there are young women dressed alike everywhere you look. On the sidewalk I see them in matching shorts and tops, dresses, and yoga gear. They match their hairstyles, too. It was no accident the two women in leopard print dresses showed up wearing the same thing. This gets planned in advance. I finally saw an article in Elle magazine about it: https://www.elle.com/fashion/a39774874/fashion-twinning-trend/, so I knew I wasn’t crazy. The article says, ‘Sameness is no longer taboo-it’s a form of bonding.’”
Reader Rant
Cathy H. writes, “As someone who struggles with buying pants/slacks that do not require some type of alterations (hemming and taking in the waist), why can’t women buy pants like men do, i.e., by waist and inseam length? We get hit with the triple whammy: paying more for our clothing, paying more to get them laundered or cleaned, and paying more to have them altered.” From Ellen: Many jeans makers (Levis, Wrangler, Gap) can offer pants by length and waist size, so why don’t other pants brands? Helloooo….
